Current news and events happening on campus and in the community designed to improve quality of life and foster economic vitality.
Around 4,000 students are moving into the residence halls at the University of Washington this week. A number of special precautions are being taken to ensure minimal contact and proper physical distancing during the move-in process. View details and a glimpse of the student experience here:
Video: UW students move into residence halls
Huskies prepare now for the start of the school year like no other. With COVID-19 precautions leading to primarily virtual instruction and no Husky football this fall, Seattle campus operations will look different. This means lower levels of activity around campus and in the surrounding neighborhoods, but neighbors can still expect to see a moderate increase in activity starting later this month.
Overall, staff and faculty are working to ensure high quality instruction and the health and safety of the campus community. UW Medicine remains at the forefront of COVID-19 testing, treatment and research. Students, staff and faculty from all over UW have developed innovative ways of teaching, serving and connecting despite COVID-19, starting last spring and now moving into fall.
Neighbors and travelers through the greater University District in Seattle will notice an increased level of activity starting September 8 when some students return to the Greek houses north of campus, and then again the third week of September as students start to move into the residence halls. Final numbers won’t be available until October, but UW expects just more than 4,000 students will live on the Seattle campus this fall. Unfortunately, there won’t be common hangout areas and while food services will be open, the options will be restricted to grab-and-go.
More than 90 percent of class sections on the Seattle campus will be held online. Only very small courses (usually higher level undergraduate and graduate courses) and classes that cannot be taught remotely (labs and performance arts, for example) will be held in person. In these classes masks and physical distancing will be required. UW Facilities is gearing up for frequent and intense cleaning of rooms.
As a reminder, face coverings are required for anyone on campus indoors (unless working solo in a private office) and outdoors when it’s not possible to maintain distancing from others.
On a final note, small businesses around UW’s three campuses, also, are experiencing a year like no other. Keep them in mind when thinking about take-out food, outdoor dining (several in Seattle are participating in a partial closure of University Way between 41st and 43rd in order to make distanced café seating possible), small retail needs, and school supplies (University Bookstore’s online ordering has proved super quick).
COVID-19 resources
The University of Washington maintains a COVID-19 facts and resources page that contains both internal and external links on a variety of related topics, such as what to do if you feel sick. View https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/ to start, and drill down to even more specific resources on this page with autumn quarter FAQs: https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/autumnquarter/
The Census is the every-decade opportunity to count every person living in the United States and five U.S. territories. The 2020 Census is now underway and the public is strongly encouraged to respond online, though responding by phone or mail is also an option. As a reminder, Census results are used to determine representation in Congress and informs how billions of dollars are distributed to regions for hospitals, schools, roads, and more.
Unfortunately, students are typically undercounted for a variety of reasons. This year proves tougher still because COVID-19 has reshuffled plans for how Census teams planned to carry out the count.
Every response is important. Learn more at https://2020census.gov/en/ways-to-respond.html
In light of recommendations from the City of Seattle to cancel non-essential community meetings to help stem spread of the coronavirus, CUCAC for April 14 is cancelled.
If you need updates on recommendations related to the coronavirus, please go to www.kingcounty.gov/COVID.
Do you take Metro transit in north King County? Or, would you be interested in taking it if only something were different? Help influence upcoming changes to transit service by participating in a survey or attending an open house with representatives from local transit agencies.
King County Metro is inviting participation in a North Link Connections Mobility Project feedback survey, available online through the end of March 2020.
The survey seeks to gather public feedback on a proposed new bus network is offered in six languages.
“As Sound Transit extends its light rail system to serve three new Link stations in 2021 (U District, Roosevelt, and Northgate), King County Metro is releasing initial proposals for updating bus service to integrate with the new stations. These concepts were created with the help of a community-based Mobility Board, and broader public feedback on service needs and priorities.”
Learn in person about the proposed changes by attending the North Link Open House on March 4, 4–6 p.m. held at Gould Hall in the U District. Interact and share your thoughts directly with agency representatives from King County Metro, Community Transit and Sound Transit. No RSVP is required.